Don’t know whom to blame in watery eyes, hives and runny nose? Specialists of the University of Southampton (UK) found a connection between allergy and season, in which you were born. Most adverse predictions got children born in autumn and winter.

Previously, scientists have repeatedly tried to link a person’s birth month to a variety of health effects. The large-scale study at Columbia University (USA) in 2015 even showed a correlation of 55 diseases with the season of birth. Now this list has replenished with allergies.

Southampton researchers conducted epigenetic measurements of DNA samples of 367 people who were born on the island Wight of the south coast of Great Britain. These epigenetic factors are responsible for the “cellular memory”, which is, although a natural function of our body, but it can have negative effects on health.

Scientists have discovered that a modification of DNA molecule that is responsible for the tendency to allergic diseases is indeed related to the time of the birth: in comparison with the spring children, those who born in autumn have increased susceptibility to eczema, atopic dermatitis and asthma.

Dr. Gabriel Lockett, a co-author of the study, said that all of this may seem like a health horoscope, but we now have scientific evidence that such a “horoscope” works. Discovered epigenetic markers may potentially be a trigger for other seasonal diseases.

In the future, scientists are going to find out how the different seasons change disease risk factors, and what role is played by temperature, sunlight and food.